Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul and American pop music, her success was so great she eventually went on to be named, 'Lady Soul'. On this magnificent 2CD set we look at her early pre-Atlantic recordings.

For the first time ever her 1956 debut gospel album is compiled alongside her first three R&B/pop Albums. Just one listen to the material on offer here and it is clear that she was well on her way to being the R&B star that we know her as today. Initial hits such as: 'Today I Sing the Blues', 'Operation Heartbreak' and her version of 1918 tune popularised by Al Jolson, 'Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody' are proof if proof be needed.

This is the only collection of Aretha's early material that anyone would need. So here it is; we present to you the Queen in waiting or how we have dubbed her for these recordings, 'The Princess of Soul' - Still waiting for her coronation.

Track Listing

Disc 1

ARETHA FRANKLIN - 1956
1. THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD
2. PRECIOUS LORD PT 1
3. PRECIOUS LORD PT 2
4. YOU GROW CLOSER
5. NEVER GROW OLD
6. THE DAY IS PAST AND GONE
7. HE WILL WASH YOU WHITE AS SNOW
8. WHILE THE BLOOD RUNS WARM
9. YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION
ARETHA! (AND THE RAY BRYANT COMBO) - 1961
10. RIGHT NOW
11. TODAY I SING THE BLUES
12. LOVE IS THE ONLY THING
13. OVER THE RAINBOW
14. (BLUE) BY MYSELF
15. WON'T BE LONG
16. ALL NIGHT LONG
17. IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO
18. SWEET LOVER
19. WHO NEEDS YOU?
20. ARE YOU SURE?
21. MAYBE I'M A FOOL

Disc 2

THE ELECTRIFYING ARETHA FRANKLIN - 1962
1. I SURRENDER, DEAR
2. ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY
3. OPERATION HEARTBREAK
4. I TOLD YOU SO
5. ROUGH LOVER
6. IT'S SO HEARTBREAKIN'
7. YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU
8. JUST FOR YOU
9. BLUE HOLIDAY
10. THAT LUCKY OLD SUN
11. AC -CENT -TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE
12. EXACTLY LIKE YOU
13. NOBODY LIKE YOU
THE TENDER, THE MOVING, THE SWINGING - 1962
14. DON'T CRY, BABY
15. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS
16. I APOLOGISE
17. WITHOUT THE ONE YOU LOVE
18. LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING
19. I'M SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD
20. JUST FOR A THRILL
21. GOD BLESS THE CHILD
22. I'M WANDERING
23. HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN
24. I DON'T KNOW YOU ANYMORE
25. LOVER COME BACK TO ME
BONUS TRACK
26. TROUBLE IN MIND